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INDONESIA’s Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Sandiaga Uno, said the visit of the highest leader of the world’s Catholic Church, Pope Francis, brought a message of peace and reduced geopolitical tensions, so it had a positive impact on tourism and the economy.
“The arrival of Pope Francis will bring messages of peace and further reduce geopolitical tension, which has also had a negative impact on tourism and the economy,” Sandiaga said when met on the sidelines of the Multi-Capital Partnership Forum (HLF MSP) and the Indonesia-Africa Forum (IAF) 2nd in Badung, Bali, Monday (2/9), 2024.
Sandiaga said that Indonesia was very happy to receive the visit of Pope Francis in his Apostolic Journey in the Asia-Oceania region. Aside from Indonesia, other countries that will be visited include Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste and Singapore.
“We are very happy, not only for the Catholics, but for the whole Indonesian nation. This is an historic visit,” said Sandiaga.
In addition, Sandiaga also believes that the Pope’s visit to Indonesia can build the country’s image as a destination filled with religious harmony and tolerance. In addition, he continued, there are several regions in Indonesia that have religious tourism attractions, such as Flores, East Nusa Tenggara.
“We hope that with Pope Francis’ visit to Indonesia, this will strengthen religious life, our tolerance in the nation. It is an honor for us,” he said.
Pope Francis will visit Indonesia from September 3 to 6. On September 4, the Catholic leader was scheduled to meet with President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta.
On September 5, 2024, a meeting between believers at the Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, followed by a meeting with the beneficiaries of the charity at the office of the Waligereja Indonesia Conference (KWI), and then tens of thousands of Catholics as representatives of various dioceses in Indonesia at Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) Jakarta, while on September 6, they departed from Jakarta to continue the visit to Papua New Guinea. [antaranews]
